Relau House – A Sino-Venetian Bungalow That Still Exudes Pride of Its Time and Place
By Wong Yee Tuan
May 2019 LEST WE FORGET
Relau, once an agricultural area in the south-western district of Penang Island, is today a large modern residential estate. Vestiges of its past linger on though, most notably in the almost century-old Relau House. This was built by Chung Thye Phin (鄭大平), a tin mining and planting tycoon.While lack of care and maintenance has left the manor in a dilapidated state, the structural remnants reveal the signs of the original beauty and grandeur of the house, which once stood imposingly...
Wong Yee Tuan
is Fellow and Head of Penang Institute’s History and Heritage Programme. He hails from Malim Nawar and has profound research interest in the history of Penang.
